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• Fermented Wheat Germ Extract

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract

Treatment
Wellness
Access
Cautions
Integrative
Programs
Dosing
More
Information

Fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE) is a dietary supplement sold as brand names including Avemar, Avé, AvéULTRA, AWGE, Metatrol and OncoMAR

Treating the Cancer

Working against cancer growth or spread, improving survival, or working with other treatments or therapies to improve their anticancer action

Clinical Evidence

Fermented wheat germ extract showed anticancer and anti-metastatic effects in a few clinical trials..¹

Lab and Animal Evidence

• A 2012 review concluded that FWGE has these properties in laboratory cell and animal testing:²
  
  • Promotes apoptosis of cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed
  • Starves the sugar supply required by cancer cells to survive
  • Unmasks cancer cells so they can be more readily targeted by the immune system
  • Prevents abnormal cells from repairing themselves
• A 2004 study found that FWGE interacted with tamoxifen treatment, enhancing the efficacy of tamoxifen, an ER antagonist, in inducing cell death (apoptosis) in ER+ breast cancer cells. FWGE also enhanced estrogen-receptor (ER) activity alone, with further decreased ER activity when used with tamoxifen's beyond tamoxifen's effect in cells.³
• FWGE induced cell death (apoptosis), showed antiproliferative effects against human ovarian cancer cell lines and enhanced cytotoxicity of cisplatin and docetaxel⁴

FWGE has shown anticancer and anti-metastatic effects in animal trials and a few clinical trials with these further cancers:

• Colorectal cancer
• Leukemia
• Lung cancer
• Lymphoma
• Melanoma

Managing Side Effects and Promoting Wellness

Managing or relieving side effects or symptoms, reducing treatment toxicity, supporting quality of life or promoting general well-being

Clinical Evidence

In all, evidence to date is positive but not rigorous for improvements in side effects and quality of life:

• FWGE has reduced chemotherapy-induced fever that accompanies an abnormally low number of neutrophil granulocytes (a type of white blood cell) in the blood in pediatric cancer patients.
• In studies of people with non-small cell lung cancer receiving chemotherapy, FWGE improved quality of life.⁵

Cautions

FWGE is not recommended for use by pregnant and nursing women, patients with sensitivity to gluten, those with fructose intolerance, or patients with organ or tissue transplants.

Because FWGE may have estrogen-receptor activity, if you have an estrogen-dependent cancer and are thinking about taking FWGE, consult with a licensed provider who is knowledgeable and experienced with using this supplement in cancer.

Access

Fermented wheat germ extract supplements are widely available.

Dosing

BCCT does not recommend therapies or doses, but only provides information for patients and providers to consider as part of a complete treatment plan. Patients should discuss therapies with their physicians, as contraindications, interactions and side effects must be evaluated. Levels of active ingredients of natural products can vary widely between and even within products. See Quality and Sources of Herbs, Supplements and Other Natural Products.

Dosage recommendations are available from these sources:

• The Moss Reports (requires purchase)
• Natural Medicines Database (requires purchase)

Integrative Programs, Protocols and Medical Systems

• Alschuler & Gazella complementary approaches:⁶
• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Melanoma

Written by Nancy Hepp, MS, with review by Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS; most recent update on April 17, 2019. Note: BCCT has not conducted an independent review of research of fermented wheat germ extract. This summary draws from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s About Herbs and CAM-Cancer Summaries websites and other sources as noted.

1. Yeend T, Robinson K, Lockwood C, McArthur A. The effectiveness of fermented wheat germ extract as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of cancer: a systematic review. JBI Library of Systematic Reviews. 2012;10(42 Suppl):1-12.
2. Yeend T, Robinson K, Lockwood C, McArthur A. The effectiveness of fermented wheat germ extract as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of cancer: a systematic review. JBI Library of Systematic Reviews. 2012;10(42 Suppl):1-12.
3. Marcsek Z, Kocsis Z, Jakab M, Szende B, Tompa A. The efficacy of tamoxifen in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells is enhanced by a medical nutriment. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2004 Dec;19(6):746-53.
4. Judson PL, Al Sawah E et al. Characterizing the efficacy of fermented wheat germ extract against ovarian cancer and defining the genomic basis of its activity. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. 2012 Jul;22(6):960-7; Wang CW, Wang CK et al. Preclinical evaluation on the tumor suppression efficiency and combination drug effects of fermented wheat germ extract in human ovarian carcinoma cells. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2015;2015:570785.
5. Hidvegi M, Moldvay J, Lapis K. Fermented wheat germ extract improves quality of life in lung cancer patients. (In Hungarian.) (Medicus Anonymus/Pulmono 11: 13-14). 2003. As described at CAM-Cancer. Fermented wheat germ extract. February 8, 2017. Viewed January 1, 2017.
6. Alschuler LN, Gazella KA. The Definitive Guide to Cancer, 3rd Edition: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing. Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts. 2010.

View All References

More Information

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s About Herbs: Wheat germ extract
• CAM-Cancer Summaries: Fermented wheat germ extract
• Moss Reports (purchase required): Select from the list of cancers down the left side of the page for a report describing uses of conventional, complementary, alternative and integrative therapies related to that cancer. Ralph Moss is among the most knowledgeable and balanced researchers of integrative cancer therapies. The cost of his Moss Reports is not negligible, but many patients find them of considerable value. Moss is also available for consultations.
• TRC Natural Medicines: Fermented Wheat Germ Extract (subscription required): in-depth information, ratings of effectiveness and safety and evaluation of specific resveratrol products
• Susan G. Komen: Fermented wheat germ extract
• Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, and Karolyn Gazella: The Definitive Guide to Cancer, 3rd Edition